Crystallized Affection
by FluffleNuff
Summary: It's not a secret that Kabuto positively detests Guren. But why? Why did he hate her so much? Maybe it was because he had once loved her with that same amount of passion.
1. Chapter 1

Kabuto looked at the purple-haired kunoichi in front of him, hatred clenching his heart. A little bit of regret was mixed in somewhere, but it was mainly hatred. He felt slightly saddened at her disheveled state, but had to remind himself that this was all her doing. That this was all her fault. She could have had anything she ever wanted, but she chose nothing. He shook off all thoughts of his past, how this very woman had once been... Once been his everything.

"Guren!" He called out, racing over to her side. She smiled and pat the spot next to where she was sitting, inviting him to join her.

"Hey Guren. I was wondering if you could teach me ninjutsu again today?" He asked hopefully.

"Haha! Why not?" Guren asked, smiling sweetly. Kabuto loved that smile. No matter how badly his day went, that smile always lit up his day. But he didn't dare to tell her, to tell her how he really felt, how much he loved her. Because he knew that no matter how much he loved her, she loved someone else.

"Orochimaru-sama!" She called out happily, jumping off the bench and racing to his side.

"Guren!" Orochimaru smiled, but his smile wasn't genuine like Guren's, Kabuto noted, it seemed... Almost hungry.

Kabuto watched, jealousy rising within him as Guren and Orochimaru started to chat, and walked away together, discussing about jutsu and chakra. His heart positively sank when he caught the last part of the conversation.

"Would you like me to teach you?" Orochimaru asked.

"Yes please, Orochimaru-sama!" Guren replied, positively beaming.

"You don't have anything on today, do you?"

And without a backwards glance, or even the slightest showcase of guilt, Guren replied, "Nope! Nothing at all!"

Kabuto felt as if a searing hand had just crushed his heart. But what was he to do? Guren was so captivated by Orochimaru that she didn't spare a single thought for him.

If only he could show her how he felt. If only she would look at him the way she looked at Orochimaru. Sadly, that was not possible. As if he was resigned to his fate, he looked at the pair as they slowly disappeared from sight, walking together side by side.


	2. Chapter 2

"So Orouchimaru hasn't forgotten about me huh? Hahaha! Hahahahaha!" Guren laughed, and Kabuto smiled menacingly. How gullible of her. Did she really think that Orouchimaru gave a damn if she lives or died?

"You hear that scum? It's your lucky day! Some of you can work for the great and powerful Orouchimaru-sama!"

Kabuto wanted to laugh at the woman for being so helplessly deluded, but he couldn't. _Damn it. What's wrong with me? _

He should hate her. He has every reason to. That girl just chose the wrong person to love, the wrong person to devote all of her attention to. It should have been Kabuto.

* * *

She always looked so beautiful without even trying. Her hair framed her face in messy tendrils of blue, her face ardoned with a kind smile hardly seen around Otogakure. But her most attractive feature were her eyes, dramatic black pools of emotion, hiding pain behind happiness, hiding happiness behind determination. Kabuto could get lost in those beautiful orbs of hers, just trying to unravel all the mysteries that she held.

Orouchimaru had warned him not to fall in love. "It makes you weak. It gives the enemy an advantage. All in all, it isn't a good victorious strategy." But who could blame Kabuto? Guren had stolen his heart and wasn't about to give it back.

* * *

"Kabuto, how should we do this?"

Kabuto noted the same pang in his chest when she said his name. He looked at her, and felt that pain intensifying. Those gleaming orbs had started to lose their light, and the kindness and happiness that were once so obvious were replaced by insanity. He pushed those thoughts away. He would not feel sorry for that woman. She chose to be put into this predicament of her own accord.

"A fight. To the death." He said menancingly, and she returned his devious smile.

"Alright listen up! You have a chance to get out of here! If you win. Good luck!" She started cackling horribly, and Kabuto couldn't help comparing her against her younger self.

Guren would have never liked the idea of death, nor have agreed to keep the prisoners in such a poor state. She idolized Orouchimaru believing that he could change the world for the better with his experiments, but have always pleaded that he did not go too far. Now, she is cackling like a deranged woman (that she probably is) as she watched limbs being ripped off from their owners before her very eyes.

"Hey Kabuto. Isn't this the best thing ever?" She nudged him with her elbow.

His face must have had a look of pure horror on it, as she started to smirk.

"Aww... The wittle Kabuto can't take a wittle bit of bwood?" She said while pouting tauntingly at him.

He swallowed painfully, and forced his heart to calm down. A smirk appeared on his face as he pushed up his glasses.

"Ha... So I'm the one who is weak huh? Then why am I Orouchimarus right hand man when you're just a lowly servant watching over an abandoned hideout?"

Her smile slipped. Kabuto wanted to throw himself over the safety bar and onto the ring, willing the prisoners to destroy him there and then. He took a deep breath. No. He was not about to show any pity towards this woman who rejected him. None at all.

He watched as her face hardened and she turned away forcibly. His heart clenched when he noticed another emotion missing from her eyes. Hope.


End file.
